Comb and cleaning device therefor



B L WILHELM COMB AND CLEANING DEVICE THEREFOR Fild April 1e, 1924 2*'. 6/jyz INVENTOR if xmmwxm BY 77am f6 A A TTORNE YS Patented May 12, 1925.

UNITED STATES BENJAMIN L. WILHELM, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

MB AND CLEANING- DEVICE THEREFOR.

Application filed April 16, 1924. Serial No. 706,993.

To @ZZ whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN L. vWILHELM, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State ofIllinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Combs andCleaning Devices Therefor, of which the following is a full, clear, andexact description.

My invention relates to improvements in combs and cleaning devicestherefor, and it consists in the combinations, constructions andarrangements herein described and claimed.

An object of my invention is to provide a comb having a cleaning devicecarried thereby in such a way as to render the cleaning deviceinconspicuous.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the typedescribed, in

which the cleaning device is instantly accessible, and which after usemay be replaced in the comb and held securely from accidentaldisplacement.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device which willthoroughly clean the comb, due to the spring action of the teeth of thecleaning device against those of the comb proper.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification,and the novel 'features of the invention will be particularly pointedout in the appended claims.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming partof this application, in which Figure l is a side view of al combprovided with my improved cleaning device, a portion of the comb beingbroken away,

Figure 2 is an enlarged section along the line 2-2 of Figure l, thecleaner teeth being shown in elevation,

Figure 3 is a view of a portion of a comb, with the cleaner in operativerelation thereto,

Figure 4 is an enlarged view of a portion of a blank from which thecleaner is formed, and

Figure 5 is an enlarged view of the cleaner, looking directly at theends of the teeth.

In carrying out my invention, I make use of a comb of any suitablematerial, such as metal, hard rubber, Celluloid, or the like.

In Figure l, the body portion of the comb is shown at l. The comb isprovided preferably with a set of coarse teeth 2, and fine teeth 3. Thebody portion l has a longitudinal slot 2 extending from end to end. Thisslot communicates with a substantially semi-cylindrical groove 3, alsoextending from end to end along the back of the comb.

The cleaner proper is made from a single piece of metal. In Figure 4, Ihave shown this blank. It will be seen that there is a body portion 4,having teeth 5. The blank is cut, and the body portion 4 at the edgeopposite the teeth is rolled so as to provide a handle portion 6 (seeFigure 2) of a size which will fit snugly into the groove 3. The teeth 5are preferably curved, as shown in Figure 5. The cleaner has smallerteeth 7 (see Figure l) which are arranged to enter between the teeth 3of the comb. These smaller teeth 7 are preferably V-shaped in crosssection, as shown in Figure 5, although they may be curved like theteeth 5.

From the foregoing description of the various parts of the device, theoperation thereof may be readily understood. The cleaner device, whichconsists of the handle and the teeth 5 and 7 projecting therefrom, isnormally in the back of the comb, as shown in Figure 1. It will beobserved that the groove 3, while substantially semicylindrical, extendsslightly beyond the center, and in placing the'cleaner in position onthe comb, the handle portion 6 is forced into the groove 3, while theteeth enter the slot 2. The spring action of the walls of the groove 3and the slot 2 tend to hold the cleaner securely in position, so thatthere is no danger of accidental displacement. The comb, with thecleaner, may be used in the ordinary manner, since the cleaner is, toany casual observer, a partof the comb.

When, however, it is desired to use the cleaner, the thumb and fingerare inserted in the cut-away portions 8 (see Figure l) at the center ofthe back of the comb, and the handle 6 is grasped and pulled outwardly.This permits the cleaner to be detached from the comb. The teeth of thecleaner are then inserted between the teeth of the comb, the springaction of the cleaner teeth compensating for any irregularities in thespacing of the teeth, so that the cleaner teeth are pressed againstthose of the ooinb. By moving the cleaner outwardly toward the points ofthe teeth or `the eonib proper, any aoouniulation on the ooinb niay bereinoved. After the comb has been cleaned, the cleaner may be instantlyreplaced by slight pressure to force the meinber- 6- intothe groove 3',Where it Will be retained, statedE I claim:

l. The combination with a ooinb having a. longitudinal groove extendinginwardly from thev back thereof, a slot forming a con- Y tinuation ofsaid groove and extending .in-.

Wardly into the body portion of the ooinb, a oleanerha-ving a handlearranged to enter `and be retained in the groove, and teeth carried bysaid handle and adapted to enter the slot. v

2. The combination` of a ooinbhaving a longitudinal groove projectinginwardly from the backV thereof', and a slot forming a Continuation ofsaid groove,y a cleaner con!A sisting of ya handle por-tion and teethprojecting roin said handle portion, theteeth of they cleaner being.adapted to enter-the Slot, and the handle portion being arranged to beheld frictionally in the groove.

3. The Combination With a comb, of a cleaner therefor, said Cleanercomprising a handle portion, and teeth secured to said handle portionand adapted toA enter between'the teethl of the ooinb, the teeth of thecleaner being bent to exert spring pressure against the sides of theteeth of the oonib.

4l. The combination of a ooinb having'a substantially semi-cylindricalgroove along the back thereof, aninwardly extending slot, a cleanercomprising a Cylindrical handle, teeth extending later-ally troni saidhandle, the central portions of said teeth parallel to theirlongitudinalaxes all lying in a coniinon plane, andthe side portionsadjacent to said central portions being bent out ot said common plane,said handle being adapted, to torce the Walls of the groove apart .whenpressure is exerted on the handle, and to be retainedy friotionallytherein when the teeth of the, cleaner are in 'the slot.

BENJAMIN L. VILHELM.

